New Data Reveals State Police Arrested Record Number of People for Drugged Driving in 2015

Recently released data from the Pennsylvania State Police indicates there was a significant spike in drug-specific driving under the influence (DUI) arrests in 2015.

Law enforcement officers in the state have reportedly become experts at pinpointing individuals who are driving while intoxicated. Now, they are also honing their skills at finding people driving while impaired by drugs. DUI-drug arrests increased by 43 percent in 2015 to a record number of 4,431 — up from 3,098 in 2014.

There were 18,801 total arrests for DUI in 2015, with the number of DUI-drug arrests accounting for 23 percent of them. That chunk is up from 17 percent of the 17,709 DUI arrests in the year before. One noteworthy statistic is that while the total number of DUI arrests went up in 2015, the number of drunk driving arrests decreased. This goes to show just how significant the increase in DUI-drug arrests was.

Rise in prescription drug abuse

Police say one factor in the increase in drug-related DUI arrests is the rise of prescription drug abuse. Many people are mistakenly under the impression that because they received medication from a doctor, it cannot be abused or used illegally. The reality is that many prescription drugs are even more of a danger than alcohol when it comes to their effect on driving. Ambian tablets, for example, have been identified by police as being particularly dangerous.

Prescription drug users tend to drive much more slowly on the road than someone who is under the influence of another drug like cocaine, or even alcohol.

For dedicated legal guidance when you’re facing DUI charges, consult experienced Reading defense attorney David R. Eshelman.